Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided that enable robust operations of a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) using a compound wing. The various embodiments may provide a sUAS with vertical takeoff and landing capability, long endurance, and the capability to operate in adverse environmental conditions. In the various embodiments a sUAS may include a fuselage and a compound wing comprising a fixed portion coupled to the fuselage, a wing lifting portion outboard of the fixed portion comprising a rigid cross member and a controllable articulating portion configured to rotate controllable through a range of motion from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and a freely rotating wing portion outboard of the wing lifting portion and configured to rotate freely based on wind forces incident on the freely rotating wing portion.

Abstract: A thermal protection system that reduces a mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients CTE between a first material layer (CTE1) and a second material layer (CTE2) at a first layer-second layer interface. A portion of aluminum borosilicate (abs) or another suitable additive (add), whose CTE value, CTE(add), satisfies (CTE(add)?CTE1)(CTE(add)?CTE2)<0, is distributed with variable additive density, ?(z;add), in the first material layer and/or in the second material layer, with ?(z;add) near the materials interface being relatively high (alternatively, relatively low) and ?(z;add) in a region spaced apart from the interface being relatively low (alternatively, relatively high).

Abstract: A multi junction solar cell is provided and includes multiple semiconducting layers and an interface layer disposed between the multiple semiconducting layers. The interface layer is made from an interface bonding material that has a refractive index such that a ratio of a refractive index of each of the multiple semiconducting layers to the refractive index of the interface bonding material is less than or equal to 1.5.

Abstract: Systems and methods that incorporate nanostructures into microdevices are discussed herein. These systems and methods can allow for standard microfabrication techniques to be extended to the field of nanotechnology. Sensors incorporating nanostructures can be fabricated as described herein, and can be used to reliably detect a range of gases with high response.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of modules, a plurality of memory banks, and a multiplexor. Each module includes at least one agent that interfaces between a module and a memory bank. Each memory bank includes an arbiter that interfaces between the at least one agent of each module and the memory bank. The multiplexor is configured to assign data paths between the at least one agent of each module and a corresponding arbiter of each memory bank based on the assigned data path. The at least one agent of each module is configured to read data from the corresponding arbiter of the memory bank or write modified data to the corresponding arbiter of the memory bank.

Abstract: A reusable space flight launch system is configured to eliminate complex descent and landing systems from the space flight hardware and move them to maneuverable ground based systems. Precision landing of the reusable space flight hardware is enabled using a simple, light weight aerodynamic device on board the flight hardware such as a parachute, and one or more translating ground based vehicles such as a hovercraft that include active speed, orientation and directional control. The ground based vehicle maneuvers itself into position beneath the descending flight hardware, matching its speed and direction and captures the flight hardware. The ground based vehicle will contain propulsion, command and GN&C functionality as well as space flight hardware landing cushioning and retaining hardware. The ground based vehicle propulsion system enables longitudinal and transverse maneuverability independent of its physical heading.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and program storage device for determining high-energy neutron/ion transport to a target of interest. Boundaries are defined for calculation of a high-energy neutron/ion transport to a target of interest; the high-energy neutron/ion transport to the target of interest is calculated using numerical procedures selected to reduce local truncation error by including higher order terms and to allow absolute control of propagated error by ensuring truncation error is third order in step size, and using scaling procedures for flux coupling terms modified to improve computed results by adding a scaling factor to terms describing production of j-particles from collisions of k-particles; and the calculated high-energy neutron/ion transport is provided to modeling modules to control an effective radiation dose at the target of interest.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic unit transmits an otoacoustic signal to counteract a potentially harmful incoming signal.

Abstract: Cartesian mesh generation is accomplished for component based geometries, by intersecting components subject to mesh generation to extract wetted surfaces with a geometry engine using adaptive precision arithmetic in a system which automatically breaks ties with respect to geometric degeneracies. During volume mesh generation, intersected surface triangulations are received to enable mesh generation with cell division of an initially coarse grid. The hexagonal cells are resolved, preserving the ability to directionally divide cells which are locally well aligned.

Abstract: A device to protect electronic circuitry from high voltage transients is constructed from a relatively thin piece of conductive composite sandwiched between two conductors so that conduction is through the thickness of the composite piece. The device is based on the discovery that conduction through conductive composite materials in this configuration switches to a high resistance mode when exposed to voltages above a threshold voltage.

Abstract: A structural assembly device and method for securing together a pair of surfaces of two fusible materials wherein an electrically conductive thermal element is located between the surfaces which will melt, without substantially degrading, when heated. When the thermal element is heated, it is elevated to a temperature sufficient to melt the first and second elements and then is allowed to cool such that the first and second elements are joined to the thermal element and may be joined to each other as well.

Abstract: This invention is an improvement in standard polymerizations procedures, i.e., addition-type and step-growth type polymerizations, wherein momomers are reacted to form a growing polymer chain. The improvement includes employing an effective amount of a trifunctional monomer (such as a trifunctional amine, anhydride, or phenol) in the polymerization procedure to form a mixture of polymeric materials consisting of branced polymers, star-shaped polymers, and linear polymers. This mixture of polymeric materials has a lower melt temperature and a lower melt viscosity than corresponding linear polymeric materials of equivalent molecular weight.

Abstract: A quality and/or flow meter employs a capacitance probe assembly for measuring the dielectric constant of flow stream, particularly a two-phase flow stream including liquid and gas components. The dielectric constant of the flow stream varies depending upon the volume ratios of its liquid and gas components, and capacitance measurements can therefore be employed to calculate the quality of the flow, which is defined as the volume ratio of liquid in the flow to the total volume ratio of gas and liquid in the flow. By using two spaced capacitance sensors, and cross-correlating the time varying capacitance values of each, the velocity of the flow stream can also be determined. A microcontroller-based processing circuit is employed to measure the capacitance of the probe sensors. The circuit employs high speed timer and counter circuits to provide a high resolution measurement of the time interval required to charge each capacitor in the probe assembly.

Abstract: An adaptive speech recognition and control system and method for controlling various mechanisms and systems in response to spoken instructions and in which spoken commands are effective to direct the system into appropriate memory nodes, and to respective appropriate memory templates corresponding to the voiced command. Spoken commands from any of a group of operators for which the system is trained may be identified, and voice templates are updated as required in response to changes in pronunciation and voice characteristics over time of any of the operators for which the system is trained.

Abstract: An elongated fixture handle member is connected to a fixture body member with both members having interconnecting longitudinal central axial bores for the passage of an optical cable therethrough. The axial bore of the fixture body member, however, terminates in a shoulder stop for the outer end of a jacket of the optical cable covering both an optical fiber and a coating therefor, with an axial bore of reduced diameter continuing from the shoulder stop forward for a predetermined desired length to the outer end of the fixture body member. A subsequent insertion of the fixture body member including the above optical fiber elements into a chemical stripping solution results in a softening of the exposed external coating thereat which permits easy removal thereof from the optical fiber while leaving a desired length coated fiber intact within the fixture body member.

Abstract: A laminated composite material with improved interlaminar strength and damage tolerance having short rods distributed evenly throughout the composite material perpendicular to the laminae. Each rod is shorter than the thickness of the finished laminate, but several times as long as the thickness of each lamina. The laminate is made by inserting short rods in layers of prepreg material, and then stacking and curing prepreg material with rods inserted therethrough.

Abstract: An assembly planning system that operates based on a recursive decomposition of assembly into subassemblies, and analyzes assembly cost in terms of stability, directionality, and manipulability to guide the generation of preferred assembly plans. The planning in this system incorporates the special processes, such as cleaning, testing, labeling, etc. that must occur during the assembly, and handles nonreversible as well as reversible assembly tasks through backward assembly planning. In order to increase the planning efficiency, the system avoids the analysis of decompositions that do not correspond to feasible assembly tasks. This is achieved by grouping and merging those parts that can not be decomposable at the current stage of backward assembly planning due to the requirement of special processes and the constraint of interconnection feasibility.

Abstract: Disclosed are a device and a method for inert gas plasma welding in a low pressure or vacuum environment.

Abstract: NiAl is preheated to a temperature between 1530.degree. C. and 1638.degree. C. causing some of the aluminum to evaporate along the faying surfaces thereby forming a glazed layer of nickel rich self-generated filler metal. The glazed faying surfaces are placed in contact, heated to 1530.degree. C. to 1570.degree. C., and pressed together to form a fusion weld.

Abstract: A process and polyimide product formed by the reaction of a bismaleimide with a bis(amidediene) wherein the bis(amidediene) is formed by reacting an excess of an acid chloride with 1,4-N,N'-diisoprenyl-2,3,5,6-tetramethyl benzene.